I've probably said this before - but I love how TriAce games always try to push challenges. A lot of the time level grinding is not the sole key to victory (something that is most definitely the case in Star Ocean 3).

The bonus dungeons, a staple in each of the developer's games, is a great bonus, adding further enjoyment and challenge to a game you like.

I'm surprised VP2 was met with such a... cool response I suppose. Especially since VP1 was/is one of the most renowned PSX RPGs.VP2 is esentially VP1, just expanded into a 3D atmosphere.

PEOPLE! Go like VALKYRIE PROFILE 2!!!!

Granted. While battle and customizing went a step up - story took two steps back by omiting the best (but to counter, probably the slowest) story progression. Obtaining einherjar was emotional. Slow, but emotional.

The big thing that made VP1 so absolutely incredible is each of the character's recruitment stories. Even in just seeing the character's deaths, you got to see so much of who they were, and what the world was like at the time. You got to witness what felt like hundreds of years of history and warfare on a continent in the space of a game that was maybe 20 hours long. Some of those stories made me shed a manly tear(Like Badrach's), and I am not a man who makes a habit of crying over videogames.

VP2 had none of that. It just had "lost souls" that whats-her-name picked up and which all had generic stats, the same movesets, and were basically shit compared to the story characters anyway(And don't get me started on the "random recruitment" system that had you save/reloading if you wanted to get a specific character). TriAce took the one good thing about VP1 and threw it out in favor of lackluster 3D combat and bringing Lezard and Arngrim back even though it made no fucking sense at all.

The big thing that made VP1 so absolutely incredible is each of the character's recruitment stories. Even in just seeing the character's deaths, you got to see so much of who they were, and what the world was like at the time. You got to witness what felt like hundreds of years of history and warfare on a continent in the space of a game that was maybe 20 hours long. Some of those stories made me shed a manly tear(Like Badrach's), and I am not a man who makes a habit of crying over videogames.

For once you and I are in complete agreement. VP1 had a definite tragic human element to it, in that all your party members were dead and had earthly regrets and desires. VP2 replaced that with some stupid ass story about time travel and reincarnation.

TriAce took the one good thing about VP1 and threw it out in favor of lackluster 3D combat and bringing Lezard and Arngrim back even though it made no fucking sense at all.

This part's wrong, the game took place at the time you

Code:

went back in time briefly in the first game and saw Hrist, and accompanying her were two people who looked just like Arngrim and Mystina, and were more or less stated to be one and the same by Hrist in the Good Ending. If anything not throwing Mystina into the game too was the actual problem, not throwing Arngrim in.

Everything else I can't argue with as much. I enjoyed the gameplay, but the battle system really isn't VP1 extended to 3D (it's far more than that), and the rest of the game is undeniably of a different structure. What does hold true are the platforming dungeon romps, and even those are still 2D mechanically.

I have a confession: I own VP2 but I have never played it. Why? Well firstly because my TV is broken rendering PS2 and Wii games unplayable.

Is there a spoiler free guide for the game anywhere in terms of not fucking up and getting a bad ending, like the first game?

There are two ending. But they're exactly the same except you see a certain character extra playing a minor/vital (depends on how fan-boy you are) role.

And Gen Eric Gui I mentioned the recruitment part in my post. Go read. =)The only thing I didn't like about the VP1 style of character recruitment was the fact it was a pretty lengthy process. Getting the best ending was no picnic either (plenty...PLENTY of room for error).Otherwise, triace truly surprised me; their story telling that time around was damn near top-notch. Lenneth's someone mono-tones voice even grew on me (loved having the same actress back the second go around)

Tri-Ace doesn't know how to WRITE. Which makes the original VP even more amazing.

@Dice: I know you did. I just like to talk about how awesome VP1 was in general.

Getting Ending A was stupid though.

@mjem: Any game that rewards killing off your own dudes will never be good in my eyes. It's one of the reasons I hate Fire Emblem 11 and it's why I won't even play CotP. Well, that and the fact that Tri-Ace hasn't made a decent game since VP1 (Although Resonance of Fate looks decent-ish. I hope it goes down in price soon so I can try it out.)

And even your cold heart would be moved by some of the tragedies in VP1.

I owned the original, although I've long since lost my copy. I don't remember much about the story. My only lasting memory of the game was that maze area, which I thought was pretty cool at the time. But the only tragedies that move me nowadays are the non-fictional kind, of which there are no shortage. I only have so much care to go around, you know.

One of the cool things about VP: Covenant is the fact that even if you choose not to use the plume and ignore the sin quotas, the game is still playable even when the developers throw nasty realmstalkers at your party. It's like adding 2-3 bosses to every map, and since you don't have any sin quota goodies and no plume, it's a good challenge. It's definitely the most legitimate challenge tri-ace has ever made, since you can't grind or save/reload in VP: Covenant to make things easier. So give that a try if you want to test your SRPG skillz. In other words, you can play the good guy and be merciful, but expect the game to make you work for it.

Anyway, using the plume is not technically purely a reward because you lose a character permanently for using it, and if you use it more than 2 times you get an instant game over. And I liked Fire Emblem DS's attitude towards party size limits - it's refreshing to be able to use characters as cannon fodder knowing you need them out of your party anyway to reach the gaiden chapters.

Valkyrie Profile 2 is one of my favorites RPGs ever and I do like it much more than VP1, which I do like a lot.

I agree with Gen Eric Gui

Quote

The big thing that made VP1 so absolutely incredible is each of the character's recruitment stories. Even in just seeing the character's deaths, you got to see so much of who they were, and what the world was like at the time. You got to witness what felt like hundreds of years of history and warfare on a continent in the space of a game that was maybe 20 hours long. Some of those stories made me shed a manly tear(Like Badrach's), and I am not a man who makes a habit of crying over videogames.

But for me that's the only point better in VP1. Because in VP2 in exchange of character stories you get a much better story overall, with meaningful characters and lots of things you don't expect happening. Not to mention much better and strategic combat system that still manages to not stray away from the one in VP1. The Dungeons are well designed, bosses feel hard without feeling cheap.

The thing I remeber clearly about Valkyrie Profile 2 is that I simply couldn't stop playing it!Resonance of Fate does remind me a lot of Valkyrie Profile 2, but the sad thing is that the plot takes to long to move forward.